Ridgefield is quite a special place. Oddly enough, when my wife Amanda and I arrived here, we did not know much about this town or all it had to offer. Usually, people research the place that they are moving to. That is the normal thing to do. But not us. We were so happy and lucky to find a home that we plopped down with our two rescues, Hattie and Lucy, and navigated our way around being first-time homeowners. We were aided in no small part by the nicest and most helpful neighbors who would say to us, "Just wait until things start to open back up, and you will really see what Ridgefield is all about."
Frankly, I was just happy to be surrounded by so many places to get a really good slice of pizza, and I couldn't imagine things being better than that. Slowly, though, over the next few months, as this town started to come alive again, we realized we were smack dab in the middle of a vibrant, happening art scene. There were restaurants we could not wait to return to, edge of our seat live theatre we were seeing, music coming from the center of town, and familiar faces that we would bump into as we walked on Main Street or around Copps Hill. One thing after another was coming our way, and we were taking it all in. Most importantly, we were experiencing what we realized was the essence of this town - a strong sense of a prideful community. Before we knew it, we were happily an active part of it, quickly learning through the experiences we were having and the friends we were making just how magical this town is and how lucky we were to be living here.
Community pride. If there is one thing that I learned early on, it is that Ridgefield is overflowing with it. Everyone seemed to be involved in something to make this town even better or elevate it in some way. There are charitable organizations, nonprofits, boards & committees to be a part of and numerous ways to give back. Being that I felt so lucky to be here, I wanted to do the same thing—I wanted to be involved.
Through a chance encounter with Daniel Levine, whom I had known from the city years before, I was asked to be in a show here. Being on the stage was something I had left behind over 10 years ago - long before I moved to Connecticut. Plus, I was working as a full-time real estate agent, so I did not have time for this. Then I remembered something my Mom used to say - "If you know that you do something that can positively affect people, then you need to be doing it." So I said yes and started singing as I mowed the lawn to get my voice back in shape, much to the amusement of the kids next door, and was soon on ACT of CT's stage in their production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and having an absolute blast!
But I needed to do more. My wife was busy as a makeup artist here, juggling her time on TV sets, weddings, photoshoots, and everything in between. Also, getting involved is an integral part of life. Yes, it is a way to give back, but by meeting more people, you will make this great big world of ours just a little smaller. Moving to a new town, changing careers, and not knowing anyone made me realize that if my wife and I wanted to make Ridgefield our home, we would need to become active in the community. We needed to give back to this town that had given us the life we did not realize we were missing.
Soon after we moved here, I was asked to join the board of The Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce. Growing up in Chatham, NJ, my father was a small business owner for over 50 years. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce in my hometown, and I knew how important this group could be for businesses and the town as a whole, so I jumped at the opportunity.
What I love about the Ridgefield Chamber is its primary goal of helping businesses thrive. We have one of the most beautiful Main Streets in Connecticut. There are businesses lining it that stretch all the way down to both Copps Hill and Branchville, but the businesses in Ridgefield stretch much further especially today. As I tell people, The Chamber advocates for all local businesses and nonprofits and promotes their economic well-being, which in turn benefits the community and helps build on that community pride.
The recently revamped and user-friendly, Ridgefieldchamber.org is a one-stop destination for shopping, dining, arts & culture, environment & outdoor activities, profiles on community members' success stories, and most importantly, features on Ridgefield's unique character. There is also the E-gift card program, which has been extremely popular. The cards are easy to give as a gift or even to your kids so they have spending money when they go to town. Best of all, it helps support our wonderful business community by directly benefiting the local economy.
It is inspiring to see firsthand the excitement that Ridgefield businesses have, whether they are just starting out or have been around for a while and want to join. It is amazing what a giant pair of scissors cutting a green ribbon, a big social media blast to the area, and an entire community behind them cheering on their success can do.
I said it at the beginning - Ridgefield is special. After moving here, you soon realize that not only the people who live here think that but also people who know this town. Next time someone asks where you live, watch how they react when you say “Ridgefield”. You can see them get transported there - reliving a memory. It could be a show, a meal, a concert, or a favorite store. This town affects people. And it is pretty magical to know you are one small part of that.
Michael McGuirk is a licensed real estate agent with William Pitt Sotheby's. He is the President of the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce, an active member of The Ridgefield Lions Club, and a local emcee for charity events in the area. You can keep up with him @mcguirk.realestate
Ridgefield is quite a special place.
What I love about the Ridgefield Chamber is its primary goal of helping businesses thrive.